EF FEB 12 - DOUG’S JET HOLDS OFF KAHUI

By Graham Potter | Sunday, February 13, 2011

Eagle Farm, February 12, 2011.
Track - Good 3. Rail - Out 0.5m.
QTIS Handicap (Two-year-olds) - 1200m.
1 Doug's Jet; 2 Kahui; 3 True Bliltz.
Time: 1-11.29. Last 600: 35.22.
Margins: Long-neck; 1.25.

The Michael Nolan trained Doug’s Jet improved in both manners and performance to do enough to claim her first city success in her third career start.

The chestnut daughter of Jet Spur was a convincing winner on debut at Toowoomba on January 15.

On the evidence shown in that run, Nolan had little hesitation in bringing his promising two-year-old straight to town. A tendency to want to buck shortly after the start and the fact that she bumped a good one in the form of Merryanna meant that Doug’s Jet was kept back in the minor placings and she had to settle for third spot on the day.

There was no mistake on Saturday as Michael Cahill rode her with precision from a wide barrier and rated her to perfection as she did enough to hold off the determined, persistent challenge of Kahui by a long-neck.

WINNER FEEDBACK:
Trainer Michael Nolan: “She’s still learning. You know, every start she has had she has got a bit better. Today she had to do a bit a work (from a wide barrier) and she still held on.

“She got to improve from here. We want to go to the Gold Coast for a big QTIS race there mid-March. She’s heading in the right direction.

“We paid $42 000 for her. I was the under-bidder on Flying Jet. She went through the ring before her. She made $70 000. This one went through five lots later. They were my only two picks at the sale … both Jet Spurs.” (Flying Jet is currently a one-time winner from four starts for trainer Steven O’dea).

“Michael (Cahill) rode the horse great. When I heard that Jimmy (Byrne) and Colless were away (they were riding in Sydney on the day) I phoned Michael’s manager and said, will Michael ride this horse …she goes good. He said yes. Straight away I was happy and confident.

“No, the horse is no relation to Doug’s Mate … just the same owner. He called it Doug’s Jet … it’s a name which I don’t like, but anyway.”

Jockey Michael Cahill: “She had her chances here the other day behind a filly I rode, Merryanna. She’s obviously improved a bit, I think.

“It was quite a good win today. I had to dig her up a bit early to get over. She found the lead quite comfortably and travelled easily. She relaxed good enough and then showed a bit of fight when the challenges came.

“She apparently tried to buck last time shortly after the start. Today I gave the horse a good preliminary. Michael (Nolan) asked me to give her a good canter, but I normally do that with two-year-olds anyway. Sometimes these two-year-olds have these sort of issues with saddles or whatever, but she never put a foot wrong today.

“She was good today. Maybe just wanted to look around a bit after the start. I was happy to be on her.

“I try to avoid really troublesome two-year-olds these days. I quite enjoyed them when I was sixteen or seventeen … but not so much today.”

PRICE FLUCTUATIONS:
Winner (Doug’s Jet): 4.00 out to 4.20 in to 3.50.
The winner was the favourite.

STEWARDS REPORT EXTRACT:
True Blitz (D. Browne) was slow to begin.

All The Torque (S. Seamer) jumped away awkwardly.

Approaching the 600m, Square Up (P. Hammersley) over-raced for a short distance and had to be restrained to avoid the heels of Tax Evader (T. Bell).

All The Torque raced three wide throughout.

On return to scale, jockey D. Browne reported that True Blitz raced greenly throughout the event.

All The Torque lost its off-hind plate in running.

When questioned regarding the disappointing performance of Biggles today, J. Bowditch explained that the horse did not show the necessary pace to take up a forward position, and for a short distance leaving the 700m was the only time the horse travelled well.

He added that Biggles did not respond to his riding over the concluding stages and failed to finish the race off.

Trainer N. Doyle was at a loss to explain the poor performance and undertook to report to stewards any abnormality that becomes apparent that may have had a bearing on today's performance. A post race veterinary examination of Biggles failed to reveal any significant abnormalities.